SWIMMERS from across West Somerset made waves at the Rotary Club of Minehead and Quantocks 2014 Swimathon.

Minehead Swimming Club’s ‘Tornadoes Boys’ won the best team of the year, finishing with 207 lengths.

They held off a challenge from the Butlins Splash ‘Bhoys’ who finished on 189 lengths.

West Somerset College’s Year 9 team, ‘The Titanics’, recorded 183 lengths, resulting in third place for the Bowden Cup and the Eaton Shield for Best Year 9 team.

‘Oasis’ were Best Year 10 team, coming fourth overall, with Fuzzy Ducks the Best College Senior Team on 162 lengths.

‘St Audries’ won the Year 5/6 category for Danesfield School for the sixth year in a row while ‘Trevelyan’ were best in the Year 7/8 category.

At Minehead Middle School, ‘Barle’ won for Year 5/6 and Year 7/8 while ‘Lyn’ took the honours for Dulverton Middle School.

Other category winners included the First Alcombe Guides, Minehead Youth Football Club and Williton Surgery.

In total, 118 teams took part in the event, held over six evenings.

As well as school teams, swimming clubs, businesses, sports clubs and other community groups took part.

The event was held at Butlins Splash Pool and there was also a first school category.

Dunster Dolphins led the way with 93 lengths to win the West Somerset Sports Council Shield with Old Cleeve Speedy Squids and St Michael’s Stingrays winning second and third place.

The total amount raised has yet to be calculated but proceeds will be going to ‘Polio Plus’, local charities and local schools.

A spokesperson for the Rotary Club said: “We are very grateful to Butlins for allowing us to stage the Swimathon at the Splash Pool and to all the staff for making everyone so welcome.

“Thanks are also due to the swimmers and all who sponsored them, event sponsors and all the helpers without whose support the event would not have been possible.”

Next year’s Swimathon will be held at a similar time – for details visit www.minehead.rotaryweb.org

Rotary’s next sporting event is the Beacon to Beach Fun Run and sponsored walk on July 13.